The 2024 T20 World Cup is officially underway, and there has already been an almighty shock. The USA – hosting the tournament for the first time in history alongside the West Indies – raised the curtain with an entertaining victory against neighboring Canada. However, it was their second group game in which they made headlines. Heading into the tournament, Pakistan were considered many people’s outsiders for victory, but now, their hopes have been torpedoed.
That’s because they met the Stars and Stripes in their second group game in Dallas. Despite the contest being held stateside, it was Pakistan that had raucous support. But ultimately, that wasn’t enough.
The Americans restricted the heavyweight Pakistanis to a modest score of 159. They then proceeded to match that score by hitting 159 of their own runs, including ten off the final three balls, to take the clash to a Super Over. There, they hit 19 runs from their six deliveries, a score that Pakistan simply couldn’t match, handing the hosts a deserved victory. Now, the Pakistanis are no longer considered contenders, with a prominent online cricket sportsbook making their arch-rivals India the favorites for the crown.
And it isn’t just outright betting that punters can play throughout the tournament. A prominent Australian online casino has added a cricket-themed online slot game to their already overflowing arsenal aiming to capitalize on the popularity of the T20 World Cup. The game by the name of Cricket Legends has proven to be a huge hit with their customer base, with punters flocking to play the game when there is downtime during the tournament. This slot title represents a five-reel slot with a cricket theme, with 243 ways to win, where players can stack wild symbols and guns for some free spins.
Truly, Cricket Legends is one of those fascinating slots that combines sports-related visual elements with the thrill of a classic slot machine, providing a unique and immersive experience for sports enthusiasts and slot aficionados alike.
Given that, playing Cricket Legends may be the closest Pakistan can get to the wicket this summer, but they aren’t the only team to suffer a shocking defeat on the greatest stage in recent years.
Ireland Beat England by 5 Runs
In the most recent edition of the tournament, Ireland’s victory over England was nothing short of a cricketing fairy tale. The English headed to the Land Down Under as the short-priced favorites to lift the trophy however, after this shocker, they were staring down the barrel of an early elimination. The 100,000-capacity MCG played host and saw the Boys in Green put up a respectable total of 157 runs. Although it seemed a chaseable target for England’s formidable batting lineup, the Irish bowlers – and Australian weather – had other plans.
Joshua Little and Mark Adair led the charge, exploiting the conditions well and keeping England’s batsmen in check. Despite a valiant effort from Moeen Ali, who scored a quickfire 24, the rain interruption significantly reduced England’s chances of victory. That brought the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method into play and ultimately favored Ireland. with their rivals falling just 5 runs short, ending their innings at 105/5 in 14.3 overs. This victory was hailed as one of the greatest moments in Irish cricket history but it wouldn’t bother the English too much, as they managed to put the defeat behind them before going on to be crowned champions.
Zimbabwe Beat Pakistan by 1 Run
The team that England beat to become champions was Pakistan, but they too suffered a humbling defeat en route to the final. They were edged out by Zmbabwe by a single run in one of the most dramatic encounters of all time at Perth’s famous WACA. The Zmbabwaeans batted first and their score of 130/8 was seen as a paltry one, with top-order batsman Sean Williams top-scoring with a crucial 31 runs.
Pakistan’s chase was meant to be a comfortable one, but in the end, it was anything but, and instead was filled with tension and drama, especially in the final overs. Despite a composed half-century from Shan Masood, the Pakistani batsmen struggled against the disciplined Zimbabwean attack. In the final over, needing 11 runs to win, they fell agonizingly short, hitting nine and finishing at 129/8. Brad Evans was the hero of the day for Zimbabwe, defending 11 runs in the last over and securing a famous win for his team.
Netherlands Beat South Africa by 13 Runs
Yet another unexpected twist in the 2022 T20 World Cup came when the Netherlands secured a remarkable victory over South Africa by 13 runs. Batting first, the Dutch posted a competitive total of 158/4, thanks to an unbeaten 51 from Colin Ackermann and a brisk 35 from Tom Cooper.
The Proteas, known for their powerful batting lineup, were expected to chase down the target with relative ease. However, their opponent’s bowling attack was precise and determined to walk away victorious. They dismantled the South African batting order. picking up wickets at regular intervals to halt their charge. Brandon Glover and Paul van Meekeren were particularly effective, each taking two crucial wickets. South Africa could only manage 145/8 in their 20 overs, leading to one of the most surprising results in T20 World Cup history.
Afghanistan Beat West Indies by Six Runs
The 2016 World Cup was won by the West Indies, with Carlos Brathwaite smashing four consecutive sixes against Ben Stokes in the final against England to secure the victory. However, the road to the final was anything but simple. The group stage saw Afghanistan pulling off a memorable victory against the mighty eventual champions, beating them by six runs in a thrilling encounter in Nagpur. The Afghans batted first and set a target of 124, with Najibullah Zadran playing a crucial knock of 48 runs.
Despite the relatively low total, Afghanistan’s bowlers put up a spirited defence. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan spun a web around the West Indian batsmen, picking up key wickets and restricting their opponents to 117/8, falling short by six runs.